Scratching the Surface - IELTS Reading Answers

The Academic passage, ‘Scratching the Surface’, is a reading passage that consists of 13 questions.

With diligent practice, the Reading Module can be the top-scoring category for IELTS aspirants. To score well, you must understand how to approach and answer the different question types in the Reading Module.

By solving and reviewing Sample Reading questions from past IELTS papers, you can ensure that your Reading skills are up to the mark. Take the practice test Scratching the Surface below and try more IELTS reading practice tests from IELTSMaterial.com.

The question types found in this passage are:

• IELTS Matching Information (Q. 1-5, 14)
• IELTS Note Completion (Q. 6-8)
• IELTS True/False/Note Given (Q. 9-13)

Reading Passage

Scratching the Surface

Questions of Scratching the Surface

Questions 1-5

1 Workers who met each other socially suffered from the condition.

2 The victims were all working with old documents.

3 They tried to kill the insects they thought were responsible.

4 They said the creatures had come in material from abroad.

5 Employees’ families were affected by the condition.

Questions 6-8

Evolutionary purpose theory

Parasite/Insect bite

6 …………………………..

Benefit to group

7…………………………

In the presence of pets

Group scratching

Group grooming

Benefit to group

8………………………………

Questions 9-13

9 Some keep scratching because they know it will enable them to stop work.

10 The laboratory, factory, and office employees all had boring jobs.

11 The human skin is extremely sensitive to irritants.

12 In many cases, people no longer believe what medical professionals say.

13 It is impossible to prevent the condition from becoming an Internet epidemic.

Question 14

1. The benefits of itching and scratching
2. Increasing complaints about insects
3. Scratching, yawning, and laughing
4. Imaginary bites and parasites
5. Computer bites and Internet itches

Scratching the Surface Reading Answers

1 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 1

Answer explanation: In paragraph 1, it is mentioned that they are insidious skin parasites, infesting the occupants of factories and offices. They cause itching, prickling, and crawling sensations in the skin that are almost untreatable. These lines reveal that insidious skin parasites infest the occupants of factories and offices causing them itching, prickling, and crawling sensation in the skins that are untreatable. Thus, the workers who met each other socially suffered from the condition. Here, workers meeting each other socially refers to workers and occupants meeting in a factory. Hence, the answer is B.

2 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 4

Answer explanation: Paragraph 4 states that a third infestation spread through office staff going through dusty records that had lain untouched for decades. They attributed their skin problems to ‘paper mites’. These lines suggest that employees working in the office going through dusty records were affected by infestations. Thus, the victims working with old documents are referred to as people working in the office. So, the answer is C.

3 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 7

Answer explanation: In paragraph 7, it is mentioned that the lab workers were scanners, who spent the day laboriously examining the results of bubble-chamber tests. These lines indicate that laboratory workers were scanners who spent the day examining the results of bubble-chamber tests. Thus, the statement: they tried to kill the insects they thought were responsible refers to the lab workers. So, the answer is A.

4 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 4

Answer explanation: We find reference in the initial lines of paragraph 4, where it is stated that another l960s case occurred in a textile factory, where workers complained of being bitten by insects brought into the factory in imported cloth. These lines indicate that the workers working in a textile factory complained of being bitten by insects from the imported cloth brought into the factory. Thus, the statement: They said that the creatures had come in material from abroad applies to workers in the factory. So, the answer is B.

5 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph 4, line 2

Answer explanation: The 2nd line of paragraph 4 illustrates that instead of affecting people in one particular part of the factory, the bugs seemed to be transmitted through employees’ social groups. We can understand from these lines that the bugs didn’t affect the workers in the factory; in fact, they seemed to be transmitted through employees’ social groups. Thus, the statement: Employee families were affected by the condition refers to the people from offices. Hence the answer is C.

6 Answer: Individual scratching

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6

Answer explanation: Paragraph 6 reveals that in the distant past, one individual scratching would have alerted others that there were biting insects or parasites present. These lines indicate that one individual scratching would have warned others that they were biting insects or parasites present. Thus, the answer is individual scratching.

7 Answer: Alerted others

Question type: Note Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6

Answer explanation: Paragraph 6 states that in the distant past, one individual scratching would have alerted others that there were biting insects or parasites present. We can understand from these lines that others would have been alerted with one individual scratching in the past, i.e if there were biting insects or parasites present. Hence, the answer is to alert others.

8 Answer: Bonding

Question type: Note completion

Answer location: Paragraph 6, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph 6 illustrates that the outbreak of mass scratching may also promote mutual grooming, which is important in the necessary bonding of primate groups. These lines suggest that the outburst of people scratching might promote mutual grooming, which is essential in the bonding or primate groups. Hence, the answer is bonding.

9 Answer: False

Question type: True/ False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7

Answer explanation: In paragraph 7, it is illustrated that normally, everyone would soon stop scratching, but people may unconsciously exaggerate symptoms to gain attention, or because it gets them a break from unappealing work. We can deduce from these lines that people would stop scratching but they might unconsciously exaggerate about it to gain attention or it might give them a break from work. Therefore, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

10 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 1 & 7

Answer explanation: In paragraph 1, we find a reference for factories and offices which states that they’re insidious skin parasites, infesting the occupants of factories and offices. Similarly, we find a reference for lab workers in paragraph 7, which states that the lab workers were scanners, who spent the day laboriously examining the results of bubble-chamber tests. However, it is not mentioned anywhere in the passage that the laboratory, factories, and office employees all had boring jobs. Thus, the answer is Not Given.

11 Answer: True

Question type: True/ False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7

Answer explanation: The last line of the 7th paragraph states that skin conditions are notoriously susceptible to psychological influence. These lines illustrate that human skin is extremely sensitive to irritants (the skin conditions are notoriously susceptible to the psychological effects). Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

12 Answer: True

Question type: True/ False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 7, last line

Answer explanation: In paragraph 8, it is stated that these days, there is a mistrust of conventional medicine and easier access to support groups. These lines indicate that there is a mistrust of modern medicine, that is people do not entirely trust what conventional medicine says. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

13 Answer: False

Question type: True/ False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 8, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4thline of paragraph 8 illustrates that sufferers can reinforce each other’s illusions over the Internet, swapping tales of elusive mites that baffle science. This could give rise to an epidemic of mystery parasites, spreading from mind to mind like a kind of super virus. These lines suggest that sufferers reinforce their illusions on the internet, sharing their tales of bites, which could give rise to an epidemic of mystery parasites that is spreading from mind to mind like a virus. Thus, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.

14 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 1 – 8

Answer explanation: When we go through the reading passage (paragraphs 1 – 8) we understand that the writer has discussed the bites faced by the occupants in factories, office employees, and lab workers who examine these viruses. The writer has also mentioned the imaginary bites and parasites in the passage. Therefore, the alternative title to the reading passage is D. Imaginary Bites and Parasites.

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